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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that smearing a politician through his dead father is taking political debate too far?

79 replies

pointythings · 01/10/2013 11:35

Yes, of course we have a free press. That's great. But smearing a politician you don't agree with by hanging an entire article on something his dead father wrote when he was an angry 17-year-old is just beyond distasteful. Attack the man's part and his politics, that is part of robust and free political debate, but leave a dead man out of it.I'm looking at you, Daily Mail.

I hope that papers on the other side of the political spectrum won't follow suit, although there is probably a wealth worth of sh*t to be dug up on the parents of current Conservative, Lib Dem and UKIP politicians...

I am Sad that it has come to this, and I am naive to have thought that even the Daily Mail would not stoop so low.

OP posts:
DameFanny · 01/10/2013 11:36

Yanbu, absolutely.

LunaticFringe · 01/10/2013 11:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

squoosh · 01/10/2013 11:42

YANBU.

Such a low stunt to pull.

NotYoMomma · 01/10/2013 11:45

link? what? just got dd1 to bed and am behind! eek

squoosh · 01/10/2013 11:46

Edward VIII was a Nazi supporter, does the DM hold this against the current Windsors? Pft.

picnicbasketcase · 01/10/2013 11:49

YANBU but sadly nothing surprises me when it comes to the DM.

HowardTJMoon · 01/10/2013 11:50

I think if the Daily Mail feels that such a smear over historical misdeeds is valid political discourse then we should all remember its absolutely delightful "Hurrah for the blackshirts" article about Oswald Moseley and its proprietor's friendship with, and support for, both Hitler and Mussolini.

summertimeandthelivingiseasy · 01/10/2013 11:50

Yadnbu

After looking at the front page on line, the DM definitely is BU

squoosh · 01/10/2013 11:55

I think Miliband's reply was good but then the DM print two more articles reasserting their original smears. Really vile.

ModernToss · 01/10/2013 11:56

Agree absolutely with HowardJTMoon. If it's fair game for one, it's fair game for all.

Hateful rag.

MurderOfBanshees · 01/10/2013 11:56

Got to love the Daily Fail doing their pot meet kettle routine over this. I mean really??

gordyslovesheep · 01/10/2013 12:00

Yanbu it really low. His dad if very like my grandad . He fought a war against fascists and remained anti fascist and pro left all his life. He was a communist . He was also kind funny compassionate and fair. I miss him

funnyossity · 01/10/2013 12:04

It's horrible.

It can only serve to make me sympathetic to Miliband. And I've not been fond of the Labour Party for a decade!

NotYoMomma · 01/10/2013 12:05

omg! I would be FUMING

voiceofnoreason · 01/10/2013 12:18

But what about when, say Cameron is criticised for going to Eton and having wealthy parents making him a toff? Is it ok to bait Tory politicians for their parentage but not the left? Oh i forget the press can be free as long as it prints what suits the politicians? Nah - sorry fair game. You claim to be a "man of the people" but in reality are a career politician born with a very large silver spoon. Same as the rest. The only reason Ed claims to be in favour of the workers is so he can get elected. He really couldnt' give a damn - and will promise us the moon on a stick in return for the gravy train. Cynical? Me? Yup. Is he a raging hypocrite - oh yes.

squoosh · 01/10/2013 12:20

'But what about when, say Cameron is criticised for going to Eton and having wealthy parents making him a toff? Is it ok to bait Tory politicians for their parentage but not the left?'

Are you being serious? How is that even vaguely the same thing? This was a character assassination of a dead person.

edam · 01/10/2013 12:21

Cameron went to Eton. He's not being criticised for his parents, he's being criticised because of who HE is. Public school-educated millionaire who makes no attempt to try to understand anyone less posh or less well off (or female) and who fills his Cabinet with similar men educated at elite public schools.

Did you know there are as many men called Steve in the Tory party's ruling board as there are women?

skylerwhite · 01/10/2013 12:21

Vile, vile, vile. And utterly indefensible.

Dawndonnaagain · 01/10/2013 12:35

Alternative interpretation
Not Daily Heil.

Dawndonnaagain · 01/10/2013 12:36

Bugger, I have no idea how that happened. Try again. Apologies. let's hope

Original poster
pointythings · 01/10/2013 12:38

voiceofnoreason basically what squoosh and edam said. David Cameron can defend himself - and should, if people attack his background rather than his policies. Ed Miliband's father is dead. Not speaking ill of the dead is simple good manners. It's a shame you cannot see the difference.

For everyone else - I'm so glad I am not alone.

OP posts:
kim147 · 01/10/2013 12:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HavantGuard · 01/10/2013 12:48

It's the Mail. Is anyone really surprised by what they do anymore?

If we're judging people on the views of their relatives ...

www.theguardian.com/media/2005/apr/01/pressandpublishing.secondworldwar?guni=Article:in%20body%20link

skylerwhite · 01/10/2013 12:50

Daily Mail on the fascist and anti-Semitic Blackshirts:
<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=crackdonalds.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/img_02871.jpg&imgrefurl=crackdonalds.wordpress.com/&h=2048&w=1536&sz=989&tbnid=S2bQGH8Rj8BqrM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=68&zoom=1&usg=__mbvEGsPieUeOBjGa76sLPvI8K08=&docid=f21Et1KxU-87hM&sa=X&ei=37ZKUozcN-u20wWY7oCABg&ved=0CEIQ9QEwBA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">front page